Nicole 2nd, Abbey 3rd as Nova Southeastern

sweep the boards in California

FROM THE NOVA SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY WEBSITE

Santa Rosa, California. -- In 2009-10, the Nova Southeastern University women’s golf team won nine of their 11 tournaments with only two second-place finishes and capped it with their second consecutive NCAA Division II national title. This year, the top-ranked Sharks have started in similar fashion by winning the Sonoma State Women’s Invitational to kick off the 2010-11 season.

The two-time defending national champion Sharks showed their power in winning the three-day tournament by 39 strokes over second placed Western Washington. NSU won in convincing fashion firing an amazing 876 (294-293-289) over the three-day event.

Three Sharks finished in the top five led by three-time NCAA Division II National Player of the Year Sandra Changkija. The senior Orlando, Florida native shot a three-over 75 in the opening round after qualifying a week earlier for the LPGA Q-School final which will take place in December at LPGA national in Daytona Beach, Fla. After finishing tied for eighth in the first round, she fired back-to-back rounds of 70 to finish as the tournament individual medalist at one-under par 215.

Nicole Whitmore (senior, from Milton Keyes, England), top picture,  followed just three strokes back in second place at 218 (73-73-72), while sophomore Abbey Gittings (Tamworth, England), lower picture, finished third at three-over par 219 (72-74-73).
The Vikings, from Bellingham, Washington fired a 915 (304-309-302). St. Edward's University of Texas placed third (310-314-301--925) in front of host Sonoma State (308-306-314--928).
The Sharks will return to Florida and will head out to Tampa for the USF Waterlefe Invitational on Oct. 4-5.